Circuit closer for electrical indicating apparatus or the like



March 2, 1948.

J. L. DODSON 2,437,018v

CIRCUIT CLOSER FOR ELECTRICAL INDICATING APPARATUS OR THE LIKE Filed Aug. 15, 1945 2 SheehS-Sheet 1 o o' o Zia-0-0% o o -o 0 0 o 5 '0 0 %.6. o o 6' o o o 7 o o 1 o o .6 o o 4 0 .o 9 o o o 0 l0 0 O- o 6 ll .0 o 9. 530 a o o 'INVENTOR.

J LINCOLNDOOSON I Patented Mar. 2, 1948 CIRCUIT GLOSER FOR ELECTRICAL INDI- CATING APPARATUS OR THE LIKE Ii toln Dodson Kin ston Pa ass ns! 9f one hall to Harry Hod'er, Scranton, Pa.

Application August 13, 1945, Serial No, 610,574,

3 Claims. 1

hi invent on. relate s r uit h eis i 2 le riealindieatirie apparatus and Parti ul rly in dica iusap a atus.. or uses art-i a ame scor id or nlue ardc striie cn er control i n e ectr ca c rcu or elect ic i uits. wi a vi w ov e im natin a ult plicity o r lat' sl exeensive ind d l lateral uai ci sachet open n s another object is. to provide such a panel whe n he. conductor wires are disposed in srceves. in he panel, and the wires at th socket openings are partially pressed or set into, the panel, to minimize danger of displacement and to conform. better to a enacting circuit-closing peg ole-plug Another objectis to provide a novel structure wherein the. panel-referred to may have a plura'lity of plies. with the conductors or wires mounted ononeplyan'dcovered by the-other ply or pliesas a safeguard against displacement of the conductors.

Asfur-ther. object is toprovidea circuit closer which is readily adaptable for use in connection with electrical Scoreboards employedin games which requirefre'quent visual changing of'the scoreindicator.

Other objects and advantages will become app i f i f m we le ie 9 Q? 1.? iQl'lS scripier; with theepre c aims and he. amphetam ne drawin In he'jdraw uss F gurei a d leveti e eeril r k away to. illustrate details r; the switch or peehoa d;

Figure is p r pecti v i n f the B es;-

Eiemte 31 a raereee h ete i ewe ewn n a: larg sca e pe tlir iiieqt eii ee swa h d seased on uc q s re st b h me loaned: thro h and common t 2 conductoncarryingply of the, switch board and associated conductors;

Figure 4 is anenlarged detailed section talgen approximately on line 47:4, of Figure .1;

Figure 5 is an enlarged elevation of the con ductor-carrying ply of the, switch or peg board;

Figure Sis-a fragmentary perspective view. of the conductorecarryingply of the switch board;

Figure 7 is a det ail section taken on line 1-1 of Figure 3;

' Figure 8 is a detail fragmentarysection of the top porton of the score board for which my im proved switch board was. primarily designed.

Figure 9 is an elevation, partly broken away to illustrate certain details of said score board, said figure being taken at rightangles to Figure 8; and

Figure 10 is an electrical diagram showing the. method of connecting my improved switch board to the score board, 7

Referring to the drawings illustrating a] preferred embodiment of the invention, a switch board is shown at A as being provided With manually shiftable. pegs or plugsB to control an electrical score board or the like C. Apparatus. embodying the inventionis adapted for variOuS. uses, for example, in connection with the playing of shufile boardor other games or contestswhich require frequent visual changingof the score as the game progresses. The switch or peg board A may conveniently be mounted on aside wall in the room where the game is to be played although it may be supported otherwise if preferred, and the score board 0 used in association therewith may be suspended in any manner so. as to be viewed readily by both contestants or players,

The score board is shown as an example ofv one type of device with which my circuit closer may be advantageously employed. This board may be in the form of a case or boX- Ill of desired size, shape and ornamentation, having on Op posite fac es qr. sides, namely those faces or sides in the lines of view-oi the contestants or players, rows of registering or score windows, preferably covered by glass a; other translucent discs H, and also rows of registering openings or score windows preferably covered by glass or other translucent discs 12. The discs II and I2 are 01- contrastingcolors, tor example, red and green respectively, to distinguish the scores of the contestants or players, and the horizontal rows of discs II and [2 respectively on opposite faces of the score board are numbered as shown in num i a rd train he en- Di s d e-Qes es in 11. 1% e ec th 3 the discs H and I2 are electric lamps or bulbs I3 and I4 adapted to be illuminated individually through operation of the pegs B. Each lamp or bulb I3 or I4 will illuminate only the opening aligned with it because its light is confined by a reflector or hood I5 secured within the casing III.

The switch or peg board A'comprising my invention, may be built up or composed of any desirable number of plies, for instance, two as shown at I6 and H. For economy, both plies I6 and I1 preferably are made of plywood, but it is to be understood that I may substitute other suitable materials for one or both of the plies, especially the ply I6. Among other suitable materials are indurated fiber, rubber, aplastic or other insulation, and ordinary wood. V

The plies I6 and I! are superimposed and secured together in any suitable manner as by means of an adhesive or fastenings. Before the plies are secured together, registering openings are drilled or otherwise provided therethrough as at I8 and I9, respectively, which will be hereinafter referred to together as socketopenings S. The socket openings S are arranged in four vertical or longitudinal columns or rows, consisting of two pairs of rows relatively close together and with the socket openings of all lateral rows in alignment. Before assembly of the plies I6 and I I into unitary form, longitudinal grooves or kerfs are provided in one face of the ply I6, one for each longitudinal column of sockets S, and communicating with the openings I9. Disposed in such grooves 20 are conductors 2 I. The grooves 20 are of a depth greater than the diameters of theconductors 2| so that the latter will be disposed below the adjacent surface of ply I6. The conductors 2| have arcuate contact portions 22 which are formed after the conductors have been inserted in the grooves 20. The portions 22 are pressed or forced so that they will be interfltted or set partly into grooves 23 formed in the walls of the openings I9 by such pressing or setting. Thus, thearcuate or contact portions 22 will project a distance into the openings I9 for engagement with the pegs B. This construction and assembly provides an overhanging wall 24 at each socket opening I9 engaging the associated contact 22 and effectively guarding against displacement or movement of the conductors 2| out of the grooves 2|].

Conductor wires 25 which pass through respective pairs of laterally aligned openings I9 in the ply I6 and surround intervening parts of the ply I6 have their ends twisted together as at 26 to constitute efficient binding posts or terminals. At the inner face of ply I6 the wires 25 occupy transverse grooves or kerfs 2'! of a depth enabling the wires to be disposed below or level with the ply inner face. The conductors 25 provide contacts 28, one in. each opening I9, and partly inset or interfitted in grooves as at 29 into the walls constituting the openings I9. The contacts 28 extend partly into the openings I9 and collectively with the contacts 22 form pairs of contacts for engagement by a peg B for closing an electrical circuit.

The pegs B may be of any desired construction, for instance, they may have conducting portions for direct frictional engagement with and retention by the contacts 28 and 22, and knobs or grips 3| of plastic, or other suitable insulating material.

The conductors 21 are formed of a single continuous wire and the portions 32 of the wire which connect the conductors 2| pass through terminal openings I9 and across the back or inner face of the ply I6. I

The sockets S are numbered downwardly as shown and each horizontal pair of sockets to the left of an associated one of the longitudinal rows of numerals controls the lamps I3 through the insertion of a peg B in the appropriate socket.

is represented by the lamps I4 and in Green by the discs I2. Each horizontal pair of sockets S under the designation G is wired in circuit with a difierent oneof the lamps I4.

As shown in the wiring diagram in'Figure 10 one end of the continuous wire forming the coin ductors 2| 'extends to the secondary winding of the transformer F. The transformer primary winding is adapted to be connected to a power supply by means of a plug 35. The other side of the secondary winding'is connected to the outer terminals of all the lamps I3 and I4 by a conductor 36 and branch conductors 31.

Conductors 38 lead respectively from the peg board contact conductors 25 aligned vertically under the designation G to the center termi nals of the lamps I3, each conductor 38 leading from a conductor 25 to the lamp I3 numbered correspondingly to the sockets S associated with that particular conductor 25. Similarly, conduc tors 39 lead respectively from the conductors 25 aligned under the designation R to the central terminals of correspondingly numbered lamps I45 Preferably the conductors 38 and 39 are connected, as by soldering, to the twisted portions 253 of the peg board conductors 2,5.

As before stated, my improved circut closer'is' primarily designed to facilitate the easy and rapid pegging of a score on a score board used in connection with games which require frequent Visual changing of the score, and although apparatusembodying the invention may be used for various purposes it is particularly useful and advan'-' tageous in scoring the game of shuffle board; When the game starts, the players assigned Green and Red respectively for scoring place pegs B in the unnumbered holes or sockets at the tops of the four vertical rows of sockets S. When Green makes, say, four points the peg B in either row of sockets S under G is removed from the associated unnumbered socket and is inserted in the socket numbered 4 in the same vertical row of sockets. This will bridge the con-- tacts 22 and 28 in that socket and close a circuit to illuminate the Green lamp numberedl.- When Green plays again and makes another score, say three, the peg B in the other row of sockets S under G is removed from the associated unnumbered socket and is placed in the socket in that row three in number higher than the socket occupied by the peg which was moved first, that is, the secondary moved peg is placed in the socket numbered 7. This will light the "Green indicator numbered 7. When Green scores again, say four points, the first moved peg is withdrawn from the socket 4 and is inserted in the socket "11 in the same row. By advanc ing the pegs in the two rows ofsockets under G alternately, the indication of the old score" will remain until the new score has been indicated and errors which otherwise could result from forgetting the old score while moving a peg to effect indication of the new score are eliminated.

Of course, the manipulation of the pegs in the rows of sockets under R is carried out similarly for effecting indications of the Red scoring.

The apparatus disclosed embodies the invention in the form now preferred, but changes may be made without departing from the invention as defined in the claims.

I claim:

1. In a mounting for electrical devices, a mounting having openings arranged in a plurality of rows, said mounting having communicating grooves in one face thereof intersecting said openings, a conductor disposed in said grooves and crossing said openings, said conductor at each opening having an arcuate portion firmly pressed into and interfitted with the defining wall of the opening'below said face to form an arcuate retaining groove, conductors looped through an opening of each row partially interfitted in the adjacent walls of the openings and occupying grooves in said face.

2. In a mounting for electrical devices, a mounting having openings arranged in a plurality of rows, said mounting having communicating grooves in one face thereof intersecting said openings, a conductor disposed in said grooves and crossing said openings, said conductor at each opening having an arcuate portion firmly pressed into and interfitted with the defining wall of the opening below said face to form an armate retaining groove, conductors looped through an opening of each row and being partially interfitted in the adjacent walls of the openings and occupying grooves in said face, and means closing the said grooves.

3. In a mounting for electrical devices, a mounting having openings arranged in a plurality of rows, said mounting having communieating grooves in one face thereof intersecting said openings, a conductor disposed in said grooves and crossing said openings, said conductor at each opening having an arcuate portion firmly pressed into and interfitted with the defining wall of the opening below said face to form an arcuate retaining groove, conductors looped through an opening of each row and being partially interfitted in the adjacent walls of the openings and occupying grooves in said face, the ends of the second mentioned conductors being joined to form terminals, and a ply superimposed on said face of the mounting in closing relation to said grooves, said ply having openings in registration with the openings or the mounting.

JESSE LINCOLN DODSON.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

V UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 229,757 Ross July 6, 1880 246,343 Ross Aug. 30, 1881 276,263 McLean Apr. 24, 1883 290,845 Breckenridge Dec. 25, 1883 546,499 Warren Sept, 17, 1895 927,583 Nelson July 13, 1909 1,043,318 Jackson Nov. 5, 1912 1,681,330 Flewelling Aug. 21, 1928 1,767,690 Meuer et a]. June 24, 1930 1,922,517 Amory Aug. 15, 1933 2,019,625 O'Brien Nov. 5, 1935 2,071,769 Schlicter et a1 Feb. 23, 1937 2,356,057 Householder Aug, 15, 1945 2,375,040 Satoris, Sr. May 6, 1945 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 411,849 Great Britain June 8, 1934 

